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The United States didn’t play the most confidence-inspiring game against Ghana on Monday, but the Yanks managed to escape the match with a thrilling 2-1 victory and three points in the group standings. The triumph sent American soccer fans across the country into hysterics, and Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber, watching the game from Florida, was right there with them. But while the win may have been an upset, Garber likely wasn’t surprised by the outcome.

“Our guys are battle tested,” said Garber when we spoke by phone a few days before the Ghana game, “I don’t think they’re going to go into this tournament not believing they won’t get out of this group, as difficult as it is.”

They’re certainly off to a strong start, and that’s great news for MLS.

The league’s stated goal is to become one of the world’s top soccer leagues by 2022. And the plan to get there? “We need to be a league of choice for the top players in the world,” Garber argues, “and that starts with being the league of choice for top American players.” Garber’s rationale explains why efforts were made in the last year to not only bring back American stars playing in Europe like Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey, arguably the two most important players on this year’s national squad, but also to sign up-and-coming domestic players with bright futures.

There is still plenty of time before 2022, but MLS has already begun to amass a significant talent base. Including the newly signed David Villa, the league has sent 22 players to Brazil, the largest number MLS has ever sent to a World Cup. Ten of those players will dress for the United States, a clear result of the league’s focus on signing American talent.

It’s of course necessary to note that, though MLS has made league history with its 22-player World Cup contingent, it still pales in comparison to the European leagues. In fact, Manchester United sent 14 players just by itself. Plus only nine of those 22 MLS players started their first World Cup games on the pitch. But, even with those qualifiers, it’s still an impressive number for the still-niche American soccer league, and there’s no denying that some MLS stars have already made a demonstrative impact in Brazil.

In the United States’ victory over Ghana, Dempsey provided the opening goal – the fifth-fastest score in World Cup history – and John Brooks’ late-game header came off a perfect corner kick from Sporting Kansas City all-star Graham Zusi. Kyle Beckerman, who plays for Real Salt Lake, was instrumental in cleaning up Ghana’s many attacks in the US end of the field.

Similar success has been enjoyed by some of the league’s 12 international players in this year’s tournament. Toronto FC goalie Julio Cesar has starred in net for tournament favorite Brazil, allowing just a single goal through two games. When Costa Rica stunned Uruguay with a 3-1 upset, Columbus Crew defender Giancarlo Gonzalez was largely responsible for quieting the South American squad’s talented strikers – and he came inches from adding a score of his own with a near-miss header. Australia may have lost its first game, but it provided fierce competition for Chile, thanks largely to New York Red Bulls striker Tim Cahill creating havoc up front.

Why is all of that important for MLS? Because American soccer interest soars every four years during the World Cup, and MLS has long turned to the tournament as a sort of spark plug for its own popularity. The 2002 World Cup helped MLS transition from a struggling league into a quickly growing success story. Even four years ago, Garber notes, the league’s seven most-watched ESPNESPN telecasts were all immediately following the conclusion of the World Cup.

And like the 2002 World Cup, which came shortly after MLS had contracted two teams and was in dire need of a jump start, this year’s tournament is perfectly timed for a domestic soccer league on the verge of its next big step. MLS has announced plans to expand to 24 teams, with new franchises getting placed in Atlanta, New York, Miami and Orlando. For those teams to take off, and for the current franchises to continue to grow in popularity, MLS will need to tap into the soccer popularity being stoked by the 2014 World Cup.

Any concerns about soccer fatigue among the more casual World Cup fans? Garber hasn’t even considered it: “Our approach is that the more soccer, the better.” Garber also notes that MLS teams offer American fans a more local and potentially more meaningful relationship than the national team. As Garber puts it, it’s one thing to watch a tournament going on in Brazil, and a whole different thing to paint your face and march into the home stadium throughout a full season.

Yet despite the contrast, MLS will remain inextricably linked to the national team. Not only does nearly half of the USMNT play in MLS, but the two groups also jointly sold TV rights to ESPN and Fox in May. And non-MLS players who shine on the pitch in Brazil may soon receive contract offers. Says Garber: ”Without a doubt I expect that some of our clubs will look to sign players that have a good tournament.”

The USMNT still has a hard road to travel with upcoming games against Portugal and Germany, but Garber likens the Americans to Butler, a team that wasn’t expected to make much noise but then shocked the world with a deep tournament run. And regardless of how the United States fares the rest of the way, it’s safe to say MLS has already won big.

“We have 22 players waving their countries’ flags in Brazil,” says Garber, “and at the same time they’re waving the flag of Major League Soccer.”

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